Ordinary People

are numerous psychological disorders in the world today, but one that many people face is mood disorder and many people who do not have this disorder usually don’t know what people deal with on a day to day biases. One movie that can show a great example of what it is like having this disorder is the nineteen eighty drama Ordinary People. The plot of the movies goes as such, “tormented by guilt following the death of his older brother, Buck, in a sailing accident, alienated teenager Conrad Jarrett played by Timothy Hutton attempts suicide. Returning home following an extended stay in a psychiatric hospital, Conrad tries to deal with his mental anguish and also reconnect with his mother, Beth portrayed by Mary Tyler Moore, who has grown…

Everything that is said, worn, bought, eaten, and even drank by a celebrity, influences an enormous amount of individuals to follow exactly what is being done. The question is why? Why do everyday individuals feel the need to copy and mimic those who strive tremendously in the superstar category? The answer to that is simple, insecurity. Ordinary people, such as myself, encounter uncertainties and doubts about one self. We each undergo a tornado of what ifs; what if this looks weird on me,…

In the movie Ordinary People, Beth and Calvin Jarrett deal with the accidental death of their son Buck and the survival of their other son Conrad, who subsequently attempts to commit suicide because he blames himself for Buck’s death. Upon returning home from the psychiatric hospital where Conrad has spent the past four months, Conrad struggles to heal from these tragedies, but feels alienated and therefore seeks the help of a therapist. His mother is cold and seemingly unaffected, and his…

The idea of sanity, insanity, and madness have different meanings to different people. Many will argue what creates madness, how one can break free from madness, or if it is even possible. Nikos Kazantzakis once said “A person needs a little madness, or else they never dare cut the rope and be free.” Kazantzakis is metaphorically stating that a person needs a little insanity in order to free themselves. This displays a relevance towards the novel Ordinary People, written by Judith Guest, the…

“Conrad Jarrett the anxious failure dress this guy in blue and grey”. (Guest 2). Is one of the very first lines that tells you more about Conrad and how he feels about himself. Throughout the book Ordinary People by Judith Guest, we learn more about Conrad and how things affect him such as the colors blue and grey, which represent anxiety and failure. At first anxiety and failure rule over his life but throughout his journey of life something changes. We learn how death and sex impact how he…

In the movie Ordinary People, the main character, Conrad Jarrett, suffers from what appears to be either Major Depression or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The diagnostic criteria for Major Depression in the DSM-5 is: depressed mood most of the day, diminished interest or pleasure in most activities, significant weight loss when not dieting, insomnia, psychomotor retardation, fatigue or loss of energy, feeling of worthlessness, diminished ability to concentrate, and recurrent thoughts of death…

Drew Greene Ordinary People In the book, Ordinary People there are a lot of people who have a relationship with Conrad. A relationship that I have experienced in my own life is the friendship between Conrad and Karen. The two characters met in the hospital after both tried to take their own lives. Throughout their time spent in the hospital, they built a relationship based on their common weakness. Their relationship grew through conversation and encouragement. They had a relationship…

The novel Ordinary People is the story of a family who try to overcome the loss of Conrad’s brother Jordan Jarrett who died in a boating accident. The family also tries to overcome Conrad’s recent suicide attempt which happened before the 1st chapter has even started. A month later after he left the hospital the Jarretts wonder if they will be able to recover from these horrible tragedies. Multiple conflicts are constantly happening in the novel between the family members.. Throughout the story…

Conflict Management The Academy Award winning film Ordinary People shows various ways on how the Jarrett family struggles with Conflict Management. The Jarrett Family includes, Conrad, Beth, Calvin, and Buck, their son who passed from a boating accident. Each individual family member struggles with their own personal conflicts. CONRAD: Conrad Jarrett, the youngest son of Beth and Calvin Jarrett. Conrad is the Protagonist in this movie he struggles mentally with the death of…

In the movie Ordinary People, an Academy Award winning film, the focus is on the Jarrett family. The family is completely broken and they do not even realize it. There is a lot of avoidance when it comes to important topics that need to be discussed. The members of the Jarrett family always practice silence or even violence; practically subconsciously. Conflict management could have been used to establish a human connection and help each other heal. Conrad Jarrett always puts on an act to…